Come for Me 2 (The Hunt #2)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Alaina

I scan the crowd, cheering for what’s coming. For them, this is an important moment in history they’re thankful they get to witness.

I can’t help resenting the kingdom who showed up to be bystanders to my trauma and cheer on my abuser. But I know that’s not fair. It’s not like they know who they’re really cheering for, what he is putting me through, and what he will continue to put me through later. Which is why I feel the most alone I’ve ever been in the presence of the most people I’ve ever seen. Despite thousands of people here, not one of them knows me. Not one of them sees me hurting and terrified. Not well enough to see I’m in danger and that I need help.

Instead, they see the luckiest woman in the world about to become a queen to one of the most powerful vampires. It’s not like anyone could understand all the ways I’m not. For others, they see someone who will always be protected, fed, housed, and adored by many. To them, I have no room to complain.

Colin holds his hand up to the crowd, thanking everyone for coming, as if they could hear him with all their cheering. Colin’s loving this, being adored by the ones who once cast him out.

I hate him in this moment more than I ever have before. I don’t bother hiding the scowl on my face when I look at him because people would rather find safety in their own denial than see the blaring evidence of the monster before them. In the end, it’s easier for people to pretend that danger is not among them, much less in charge of them.

I don’t want to ruin the fairytale for others. No need for all of us to be traumatized and miserable.

I peer out at those who would soon become my subjects.

Sam is not showing up in the crowd. I was stupid enough to think he would come see his late best friends’ mate be bonded to his murder. Though I don’t blame Sam for not being here. He probably blames me for the death of his best friend, and he would be right to.

I don’t deserve to be alive. I felt a sense of peace when I wanted to kill myself, that all the pain would finally end, and I wouldn’t be a problem for anyone else anymore. The guilt had been killing me. After becoming a queen, the first hybrid, while none of it is what I want, I still feel like a reward, something I also don’t deserve.

Dax’s pack must hate me for getting their king killed and still becoming queen. I don’t blame them. Dax had warned me once before.

If someone grabs you in the middle of a fight, it’s over. I’ve lost. They’ve got me, he has said to me once. Olivia has picked up on this and used it against us, but I haven’t, and now here we are.

Again, I don’t blame them. I agree with them and want nothing more than to end their suffering and mine. Living for eternity, especially as Colin’s queen, is both my nightmare as much as it is theirs. Unfortunately for all of us, Colin has been hell-bent on making sure I’m stuffed with his body and blood whenever he gets the chance. Any attempt to kill myself would only hasten his plans to have a hybrid queen. I can’t end my misery any more than I can end theirs. Either way, neither of us win. Their king, my mate, is still dead.

My thoughts are interrupted when Colin informs me it’s time for the next phase of the ceremony. The part where he makes me his sacrifice, and only momentarily silences my pain, just to bring me back. I’m hoping it doesn’t work. I’m hoping we’ve done something wrong or missed a step, and I don’t transition but rather rest.

After Colin kills me, starting my transition into becoming a vampire, the bruises on my neck will cease to exist, as well as my freedom. Not only if I were to wake could I be a hybrid, but I’d be eternally bound to Colin by blood. The eternal vampire bond, as Colin says, will essentially enslave me to him. This bond mixed with my newfound hunger would create a passion so intense I can’t resist giving my body over to him, not just blood but flesh. There’s no stopping it, but I’m going to damn sure try. Would bonds work both ways? Making it hard for him to kill me? As his new weakness, could I find a moment to kill him?

But if I can’t resist, and I succumb to the bond and mark him, this is said to enact the transition process, giving Colin his own wolf. The gold eyes of a werewolf would come forward. His wolf would immediately recognize me as his mate and mark me, changing his once-vampiric-red eyes to maroon.

I’d be eternally doomed to enslavement, and I won’t even know I’m a victim.

Once we’ve both recovered, Colin will likely make a speech about creating the strongest line of hybrids with my womb and then promise a false sense of peace that the rogue and vampire attacks would stop. Knowing Colin, it’s all lies and deceit, a hidden veil drawn at Colin’s orders over their eyes.

He’d never willingly give up any power he has over anyone. But maybe his need for being liked would outweigh it, and he’d surprise me, killing all his minions.

Colin and I are escorted by the priest. We make our way toward the archway and down the hall to my chambers where he’ll strip me, fuck me, and drain me of every drop.

Ash follows us, seeing us to the line of succession.

In this moment, I hate him, too. The only one with the best chance to go toe-to-toe with Colin, and instead, he assists. Standing idly by as Colin practically drags me to the bedroom.

The only person here who truly cares for me is locked in a dungeon.

I stumble to keep up with his steps.

Colin comes to an abrupt stop when we reach the double doors to my bedchambers. The guards are lying in a pool of their own blood in front of the doors. Their hearts ripped out of their chest and crushed to mush several feet from where their bodies lay. Colin growls at the sight, using my body to bust open the doors.

To be used for opening a door was the final straw, and I’m cursing at him in every way I know how, pushing Colin’s chest.

Colin catches my wrists to stop me from hitting him, calling me a disrespectful bitch, mutt, and other insults of the sort.

But none of that matters. Not when the sound of a deep laugh stops both of us.

“I knew she’d give you hell,” someone says gruffly.

I whip my head toward the direction of the voice.

Dax.

A warmth and flood of emotions overwhelm me as I take in the sight before me. Dax is laying in what is supposed to be my marital bed of sorts, with his arms behind his head and blood dripping down his chin to his exposed chest. Dax is even more jaw dropping than I remembered.

“You have something that belongs to me.” Dax looks from Colin to me and smiles. “Hello, darling.”

His canines are sharper than I remember, but my heart melts all the same.

I never thought I would see him again, let alone see him smiling at me, that I don’t even question why his eyes glow maroon and not gold.

I breathe him in deeply, gasping, as if I am coming up from the depths for air for the first time since losing him.

I couldn’t stand to be away from him much longer. The pull is too strong. When I take a step to run toward him, Colin tightens his hold, jerking me back to him. Colin draws blood from digging his nails into my shoulder and neck, and I wince.

My struggling only causes his nails to bury further into me.

Dax stands from the bed upon seeing me in pain. His eyes full of concern and fury, but he doesn’t advance toward me further knowing Colin intends to kill me. My death only accomplishing exactly what he wants.

“Take your hands off her,” Dax growls, an uptick in power and the threat of death fusing into his voice.

Desperate to get out of Colin’s hands and into Dax’s, I call forth my canines in preparation to bite him, but Colin doesn’t miss the faint sound of gum tissue being broken.

He hisses, and I’m frozen before I get the chance to rip myself free from him.

Unable to move, Colin touches his lips to my head, inhaling my pheromones. The act primal, meant to bait Dax into making a wrong move.

“I’m glad you’re here, actually. It’s such a pretty sight to see when she takes me. You’ll love the view,” Colin purrs.

“Don’t listen to him!”

Colin pricks me with his nail, and blood trickles down my neck.

I suck in the pain through my teeth.

Dax’s lip quivers.

Colin nods to one of the loveseats displayed in the sitting room. “You’re welcome to stay and watch.”

Dax’s eyes blaze maroon as he looks from me to Colin.

Shame overwhelms me at what I’ve done with Colin, and I plead with my eyes, hoping he can understand why I did what I did.

I thought he was dead. Colin readjusts himself to rest his chin on my neck from behind and moves his hand in front of my neck, stroking me with his nail. “If you really loved her, you would’ve let her go. With me, she’ll become a formidable queen, bending a knee to no one. Well,” Colin snickers, “Except me, that is.” He nuzzles his face into my hair.

Dax stalks forward.

Colin digs the nail into my throat further. More blood trickles down my neck.

Dax stops.

“I’m beginning to think you want her dead. For once, we might be on the same page,” Colin purrs.

“Why would you want her dead? To become a vampire like you?”

Dax is stalling. He knows the purpose of killing me is to create an eternal bond, binding me to Colin when I wake as a vampire.

So, what is Dax planning?

“A hybrid,” Colin corrects. “She’ll wake as my creation. Our bond will be eternal. She’ll crave only me when I’m done with her.”

Dax grinds his teeth. “Not if she’s dead.”

Colin brushes Dax’s statement off.

“You don’t know if she’ll survive this. It hasn’t been done. If you really care for her, you won’t go through with this. Don’t risk the only person either of us have ever loved,” Dax persuades.

Colin pulls the nail from my neck at the question of his devotion to me and hisses.

Dax lunges for me and yells, “No!”

It happens quickly.

A slice of Colin’s claw across my neck, and he lets me go, even though blood is gurgling through my throat, blocking my airways. Ironically, I can breathe better than before, knowing there’s now space between me and Colin.

Unfortunately, without him holding me up, my body gives out, and I collapse. I’m helpless to stop myself from falling.

I wait for the impact, but strong arms envelop me instead, the leather and spice I missed so much surrounding me as fast as darkness is. And I know I’m dying.